OET interlinear MARK 7:3

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-background

γὰρ

for

Here Mark introduces background information that will help readers understand why the Pharisees and scribes are interested in whether Jesus’ disciples wash their hands. Use a natural form in your language for introducing background information. Alternate translation: “that was important to them because” or “now you should know that”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

οἱ & Φαρισαῖοι καὶ πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι

the & Pharisees and all the Jews

Here Mark mentions the Pharisees separately because they follow this tradition particularly strictly. He does not mean that the Pharisees are not Jews. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “the Pharisees and all the rest of the Jews” or “especially the Pharisees, but also all the Jews,”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

πάντες οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι

all the Jews

Mark says all here as an overstatement for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a different way to express the emphasis. Alternate translation: “most of the Jews” or “very many Jews”

Note 4 topic: grammar-connect-exceptions

ἐὰν μὴ πυγμῇ νίψωνται τὰς χεῖρας οὐκ ἐσθίουσιν

if not ˱with˲_/the/_fist ˱they˲_/may/_wash the hands not /are/_eating

If, in your language, it would appear that Mark was making a statement here and then contradicting it, you could reword this to avoid using an exception clause. Alternate translation: “only eat if they have washed their hands with a fist”

Note 5 topic: translate-unknown

πυγμῇ

˱with˲_/the/_fist

Here, the phrase with a fist refers to a specific way of washing one’s hands. It could refer to the position of the hands during washing, how much of the hands were washed, or how much water was used. Since scholars are not sure exactly what the phrase indicates, you could use a general term that indicates that this was a special washing for ceremonial or ritual purposes. Alternate translation: “ceremonially” or “in the proper way”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων

the tradition ˱of˲_the elders

Here, the Pharisees and scribes are using the possessive form to describe a tradition that came from the elders. If this is not clear in your language, you could express the idea in another way. Alternate translation: “the tradition given to us by the elders” or “the tradition handed down to us by the elders”

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν παράδοσιν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων

the tradition ˱of˲_the elders

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea of tradition, you could express the same idea in another way. Alternate translation: “what the elders taught them”

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τῶν πρεσβυτέρων

˱of˲_the elders

Here, the word elders refers to respected ancestors whose teaching is trusted. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: “of the ancestral teachers” or “of our respected forefathers”